Video Appears to Show Bear Walking on Hind Legs in NJ

Thursday, Aug 7, 2014 •

People in one New Jersey town were surprised when they saw a black bear taking a stroll down the street on its hind legs earlier this week.

    A resident in Jefferson Township posted a video to YouTube showing the bear lumbering upright to the end of a cul-de-sac, peering inside a trash can and then venturing off into the woods.

   "It probably is a black bear," said Larry Ragonese, press director for New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. He said there's no way to fully authenticate the video.

Ragonese said bears can walk on two legs, although they usually don't for extended periods. 

    A biologist who examined the video said the bear could have damaged a front paw, requiring it to walk on two legs, Ragonese said.

Neighbors left comments on the video saying that they too had seen the bear pull the stunt recently.